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Aim: Childhood immunisation is an important preventive measure. However, care givers may delay routine immunisations or seek exemptions from state vaccine mandates. Vaccine refusal creates barriers on vaccine coverage and leads to morbidity and mortality. Methods: Our study reviews morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) in a large paediatric intensive care unit in Greece over a 10‐year period. Results: During the study period, 73 cases of VPDs were recorded, corresponding to 3.5% of total paediatric intensive care unit admissions. Influenza was the most prevalent VPD, followed by pneumococcal disease, measles, pertussis and meningococcal disease. Most patients (83.3%) were unvaccinated for the admission's VPD. Outcome was unfavourable for 31.9% of the patients (17 children died, 6 developed chronic impairment). Conclusion: Absent or incomplete vaccination may result in serious morbidity and mortality from preventable diseases. Strengthening vaccination strategies are needed to improve individual protection as well as herd immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To estimate the vaccination coverage in a sample of adolescents in Greece.Methods: Vaccination status was estimated in 483 adolescents aged 15-19 y in four prefectures. The criteria for full vaccination were based on the recommendations of the Greek National Vaccination Schedule.Results: The participation rate in the study was 78.7% (380/483 adolescents). The rates of full vaccination were 94.2% for poliomyelitis, 78.4% for hepatitis B, 77.4% for BCG, 65.0% for tetanus and 54.4% for diphtheria. The rates of full vaccination for measles, rubella and mumps were 65.0%, 57.6%, and 56.0%, respectively. For pertussis, the full vaccination rate was only 36.0%, and 7.1% of the study population was totally unvaccinated. The most missed dose for all vaccines was the final booster dose, which is usually administered in older children or adolescents.Conclusion: Adolescent vaccination coverage was not satisfactory in this study, mainly due to non-compliance to the final booster dose. Completion of missing vaccines at this age represents the last opportunity for massive intervention and would be of essential value for individual and community protection against common preventable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]